Joey Belladonna recently made a few statements to Syncin’ Stanley on YouTube, discussing the rumors about some of the iconic rockers lip-syncing and whether KISS playback and cheat the audience at live shows.
KISS had announced that they’d hit the road for the last time for the End of the Road tour. However, as dreamy as they’d probably imagined their final tour would be, the band faced some allegations about Paul Stanley lip-syncing during performances. These accusations put KISS at the end of the crosshairs, and ultimately, the band’s manager came out and assured everyone that the rocker didn’t cheat at shows.
When Belladonna discussed the topic, he tried his best to be objective and neutral, saying he didn’t know whether Stanley lip-synced. Still, the Anthrax icon noted that his bassist went to see one of the act’s shows and noticed that something was going on with the vocals. Joey then remarked that there was a bit of unfairness to the entire situation.
The singer stated that if there were two vocalists on the stage, one of them lip-synced while another didn’t, that entire situation would create an unfair competition between artists. Belladonna emphasized that if a frontperson cheated during their shows, then they needed to quit performing altogether.
The frontman’s view on lip-syncing rockers and whether KISS cheated or not:
“I can’t speak for them; I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know. I heard all about other stuff, too; even my bass player went and saw them once, and he was like, ‘Something going on here.’ Obviously, one of the hardest things, too, I think. [It] seems like there’s a bit of unfairness there.
If two people are competing to do something or say the same, whatever genre of music, and one doesn’t do it, and one does it. You already have the answers there. I mean, it’s like you cheat that part. But I think my overall point is… I think that part is tough for me. I can’t get down with all that. I’d just as soon cancel or just not be out there at all.
But as far as maybe some keyboards and a clean guitar or a synthy part, if you only have one hand to do one part and you want something just in the back… I like filling up the space — that kind of stuff. But the main singer? Oh, that’s tough.”
Belladonna noted that as far as the vocalist didn’t lip-sync, all the other instrumental playbacks weren’t much problem. However, when the singer started to cheat, it created an unjust competition for all their fellow rockers who took the mic and sang live while giving all they got into the gig.
